Epidural analgesia is the administration of an anesthetic in the epidural space of women to control the pain of contractions at the time of delivery.
Although its use is widespread and accepted, and does not seem to increase the risk of caesarean section, labor without epidural may be the safest option by decreasing the chances of instrumentalized delivery. However, a recent study concludes that women who give birth with epidural have a lower risk of postpartum depression.
So in this situation I only wonder one thing: How bad are pregnant women informed?
Why childbirth without epidural may be the safest option
In 2009, Cochrane made a review of studies on the use of epidural in childbirth and concluded that there were "differences in the rates of cesarean delivery, long-term low back pain or effects on the newborn shortly after birth" .
However, they saw that there were more likely instrumental delivery (forceps or suction cup), which could lengthen the second stage of labor, which increased the use of synthetic oxytocin to stimulate contractions, that in some women the blood pressure was too low, which gave more urinary retention problems and that More women had a fever.
This does not mean that with epidural births are a real disaster, far from it. But it is true that with epidural analgesia there are more chances that there are these associated problems, and consequently the least risky childbirth is one in which such analgesia is not used and the woman receives support and good treatment from the professionals.
Those who give birth with epidural have less postpartum depression
As we read on ABC, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (USA) has concluded that the use of epidural analgesia reduces the likelihood of the new mother suffering from postpartum depression.
Apparently, researchers have seen that labor pain can be psychologically harmful for some women, so that it can affect negatively even after childbirth, promoting the onset of postpartum depression.
The reality, and the researchers themselves say, is that postpartum depression happens for many reasons: the perception of pain of each person, which is personal, hormonal changes, the adaptation of women to the new situation, the support they have of the environment, etc.
Now, if you have seen that the use or not of epidural can increase or reduce the risk of depression, What do they explain in the prepaid courses?
Because a few days ago we commented that midwives are beginning to change the language with which they refer to contractions to call them 'waves' or 'bursts', so that women assume that it is not a negative pain, but a pain that serves to bring the baby closer That it is not a pain that says something is wrong, but one that helps to open up to finally hug the newborn. That it is not necessary to fight against him, but to allow him to advance, that he must not resist, but to find a way to cope with it as the baby gets closer to the world.
A preparation like this during pregnancy, an explanation like this, work your breath, trust with professionals and especially self confidence, can make childbirth, even without epidural, a very positive experience.
The same review of studies that I have commented above found that there were no significant differences in maternal satisfaction, and three years ago we talked about a study that concluded the opposite: that the women most satisfied with their birth were those who had given birth vaginally and without epidural.
That is why I repeat the question: What are they explaining to Pittsburgh's future mothers, so that giving birth without an epidural is a reason for depression? Or worse, What is happening in the hospitals so that a normal birth, with hardly any intervention, makes women feel worse?
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In Babies and more | Goodbye epidural? Hospitals in Australia start using nasal spray analgesia. If you do not remove a tooth without anesthesia, why do you want to give birth without epidural? Do you prefer a delivery without epidural and shorter or a birth with epidural and longer?
